Holder for a transluscent or transparent bottle containing a liquid

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a holder for a transluscent or transparent bottle having a neck portion and containing a therapeutic liquid. Bottles of this kind are widely used for administering a therapeutic liquid in connection with intravenous treatment. The holder comprises a bag made of a transluscent or transparent synthetic plastic material. This bag assumes a flat configuration when empty. It is open at one end across its width and has at its opposite end an opening of reduced width. The bottle from which the liquid is to be dispensed is inserted into the bag from the wide end thereof by spreading the two side walls of the bag and is retained within the bag by the narrow opening at the other end of the bag, the width of the narrow opening being such that the neck of the bottle can pass but the body of the bottle is retained in the bag. The bag with the bottle therein is suspended on a suitable support such as an I.V. pole when to be used for intravenous treatment.

United States Patent [1 1 Standifer HOLDER FOR A TRANSLUSCENT OR TRANSPARENT BO'l'lLE CONTAINING A LIQUID [75] inventor: Robert Standifer, Fort Lauderdale,

Fla.

[73] Assignee: North American Biologicals, Inc.,

Miami, Fla.

[22] Filed: May 16,1974

[21] Appl. No.: 470,531

[ 51 July 8,1975

Primary ExaminerDonald F. Norton Attorney, Agent, or FirmHane, Baxley & Spiecens [5 7 ABSTRACT There is disclosed a holder for a transluscent or transparent bottle having a neck portion and containing a therapeutic liquid. Bottles of this kind are widely used for administering a therapeutic liquid in connection with intravenous treatment. The holder comprises a bag made of a transluscent or transparent synthetic plastic material. This bag assumes a flat configuration when empty. it is open at one end across its width and has at its opposite end an opening of reduced width. The bottle from which the liquid is to be dispensed is inserted into the bag from the wide end thereof by spreading the two side walls of the bag and is retained within the bag by the narrow opening at the other end of the bag, the width of the narrow opening being such that the neck of the bottle can pass but the body of the bottle is retained in the bag. The bag with the bottle therein is suspended on a suitable support such as an [.V. pole when to be used for intravenous treatment.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures HOLDER FOR A TRANSLUSCENT OR TRANSPARENT BOTTLE CONTAINING A LIQUID The present invention relates to a device for administering a liquid such as a therapeutic medicine from a bottle, usually a small bottle. More particularly, the invention relates to a holder for a small bottle having a neck portion containing therapeutic medicine and suspended from an I.V. (intravenous) pole used for intravenous treatment.

BACKGROUND Therapeutic medicine such as therapeutic liquid is often administered from a small transparent or translucent bottle having a neck portion. To effect correct intravenous administration from such bottle, it must be possible to check continuously the remaining liquid in the bottle, that is, the bottle must be transparent or at least translucent. During treatment, the bottle is suspended from a suitable support, usually from an I.V. pole.

It is known and common practice to suspend the bottle by a sling or a netting. Experience shows that this is not a very reliable mode of suspension, and it is also rather troublesome and time-consuming to place the bottle in such sling or netting so that it is at least reasonably reliably held. Suspension by means of a sling or netting is even more inconvenient when, as is often the case, more than one bottle must be used during a treatment.

THE INVENTION It is a broad object of the invention to provide a novel and improved holder for a small bottle having a neck portion and containing a therapeutic medicine into which the bottle can be easily and rapidly inserted and from which it can be equally easily and rapidly withdrawn, and through which the supply of medicine in the bottle can be continuously and accurately checked.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved holder of the general kind above referred to in which the bottle is automatically held in its operational position, that is, in the position in which the con tents of the bottle can be gradually withdrawn therefrom.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved holder for a bottle of the general kind above referred to which can be easily suspended from a suitable support such as an I.V. pole and equally easily detached therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved holder of the general kind above referred to which can be inexpensively manufactured by typical and conventional mass-production techniques and which is flat in its empty condition so that it occupies a minimum of space when shipped or stored, but can be readily spread into its open position when a bottle is inserted therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforepointed out objects, features and advantages, and other objects, features and advantages which will be pointed out hereinafter, are obtained by providing a holder in the form of a bag made of a pliable transluscent or transparent synthetic plastics material. This bag has two sides biased to assume a flat configuration when the bag is empty. One end edge of the bag is open generally across the width of the bag, thereby constituting an entry end for insertion of a bottle into the bag. The opposite edge of the bag also includes an opening of a width such that it permits passage of the neck portion of the bottle but not of the body of the bottle, thereby retaining the same within the bag. Insertion of a bottle into the bag is effected by spreading two sides of the bag via the entry end thereof.

According to one aspect of the invention, the bag is composed of two flat and pliable transluscent or transparent sheets of substantially equal size. Each of these sheets has at said entry end of the bag a straight edge and extending from said straight edge two opposite edges. Each of these opposite edges has a straight portion adjacent to the straight edge and normal thereto and an inwardly curved portion contiguous of the respective straight portion, the opposite edges of the sheets being fixedly joined along the entire length of the straight portions and the curved portions. Due to the inwardly curved portions of the sheets, the nonjoined parts form the afore-referred to opening of reduced width for permitting passage of the neck portion of the bottle but not of the body portion thereof.

To simplify spreading of the sheets for insertion of a bottle, one of the sheets preferably protrudes somewhat from the other sheet at the entry end of the bag.

Suspension of the holder is facilitated by providing a hole through the two side walls of the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational side view of a holder according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an edge view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the holder on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of an assemblage showing a holderwith a bottle inserted thereinto and suspended from an I.V. pole; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top view of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Referring now to the figures in detail, the exemplified holder comprises a bag 1 composed of two sheets 2 and 3 made of a transluscent or transparent pliable plastics material such as polyethylene. The two sheets have a generally rectangular configuration except at the lower part thereof. As it is best shown in FIG. I, each sheet has a straight edge 4 and 5, respectively, and a side edge 6 and 7, respectively, extending from the straight edge normal thereto. Each of the side edges has a straight portion 6!; and 71), respectively, contiguous to the straight portion. Each sheet further has a straight edge 8 opposite to straight edges 4 and 5. The two sheets are fixedly joined, for instance a seam 9 formed by heat sealing as best shown in FIG. 3.

The sheets are left unsealed at their edges 4, 5 and 8 thereby providing a wide opening and a narrow opening in the bag, the wide opening constituting the entry end of the bag and the narrow opening a slot for permitting the passage of the neck portion of a bottle to be inserted while preventing passage of the body of the bottle.

Due to the aforedescribed structure of the bag, the two sheets are biased into a flat and more or less engag- I ing position when the bag is empty as best shown in FIG. 2.

Insertion of a bottle into the bag from the entry end thereof is effected by spreading the two sheets. To facilitate such spreading, one of the two sheets such as sheet 3 is preferably somewhat longer than the other sheet to form a protruding portion 3a as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Such protruding portion permits conveniently slipping a finger nail between the two sheets thus initiating spreading thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, this figure shows a bag 1 in its spreaded configuration with a bottle having a neck portion 150 inserted thereinto. As it is shown, the neck portion protrudes through the slot at the bottom end of the bag.

As it is evident from the previous description, the narrowness of the bottom opening retains the bottle within the bag while permitting passage of the neck portion. As it is also evident from the previous description, a bottle inserted into the bag with the neck portion facing downwardly will automatically assume the position shown in FIG. 4, that is, the operational position of the bottle.

There is further shown in FIG. 4 a hose l6 connecting the bottle to the place of treatment shown as an arm 19 to a patient lying on an examining table. Hose 16 includes a conventional connector 18, for instance of the type having a spike penetrating the bottle enclosure.

As shown, the bag with the bottle therein is suepended from an I.V. pole 20 of conventional design. This pole has an arm 21 ending in a hook 22. To facilitate suspension of the bag on the hook to the pole, a hole 23 is provided in the bag. FIG. 5 shows the suspension of the bag on arm 21.

Of course, the bag with the bottle therein can be suspended from another suitable support.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A holder for a bottle having a neck portion and containing a therapeutic liquid, said holder comprising bag made of a pliable transluscent synthetic plastics material, said bag having two sides biased to assume a flat and engaging relationship when the bag is empty, one end edge of the bag being open, said edge constituting the entry end of the bag for inserting a bottle thereinto, the width of the bag being reduced toward the end edge thereof opposite to the open edge of the bag, said opposite end being open for a length shorter than said one edge to constitute a slot for passage of the neck portion of the bottle, the two sides of the bag being spreadable relative to each other for accommodating the body of the bottle therebetween, said slot retaining the bottle within the bag except for the neck portion thereof.

2. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said bag is composed of two flat and pliable transluscent sheets of substantially equal size, each of said sheets having at said one entry end a straight edge and extending from said straight edge two opposite edges normal to said straight edge, each of said opposite edges having a straight portion adjacent to said straight edge and an inwardly curved portion contiguous to the respective straight portion, said opposite edges being fixedly joined along their entire length.

3. The holder according to claim 2 wherein one of said sheets is extended at its straight end edge so as to protrude from the straight end edge of the other sheet thereby facilitating spreading of the two sheets for inserting a bottle therebetween.

4. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said bag includes adjacent to its entry end a hole therethrough for suspending the bag from a support. 

1. A holder for a bottle having a neck portion and containing a therapeutic liquid, said holder comprising bag made of a pliable transluscent synthetic plastics material, said bag having two sides biased to assume a flat and engaging relationship when the bag is empty, one end edge of the bag being open, said edge constituting the entry end of the bag for inserting a bottle thereinto, the width of the bag being reduced toward the end edge thereof opposite to the open edge of the bag, said opposite end being open for a length shorter than said one edge to constitute a slot for passage of the neck portion of the bottle, the two sides of the bag being spreadable relative to each other for accommodating the body of the bottle therebetween, said slot retaining the bottle within the bag except for the neck portion thereof.
 2. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said bag is composed of two flat and pliable transluscent sheets of substantially equal size, each of said sheets having at said one entry end a straight edge and extending from said straight edge two opposite edges normal to said straight edge, each of said opposite edges having a straight portion adjacent to said straight edge and an inwardly curved portion contiguous to the respective straight portion, said opposite edges being fixedly joined along their entire length.
 3. The holder according to claim 2 wherein one of said sheets is extended at its straight end edge so as to protrude from the straight end edge of the other sheet thereby facilitating spreading of the two sheets for inserting a bottle therebetween.
 4. The holder according to claim 1 wherein said bag includes adjacent to its entry end a hole therethrough for suspending the bag from a support. 